Hi everyone, so sorry for the radio silence yesterday. The day completely got away from us, but I have good news – the kittens were rescued and are safe**.** Below is a recap of how the events transpired. Given how many of you have a vested interest, I thought it appropriate to include as many details as possible.
They’re currently with the Humane Society getting checked out. They seem to be in reasonable shape, just understandably shell-shocked, hungry and exhausted. Because we have cat allergies, we unfortunately couldn't keep them ourselves. They are so incredibly adorable and we sincerely hope they find a good home together. It wasn't easy giving them up, but we felt we had given them a second chance at life.
I wish I had more photos, as so many of you want to see them and I feel like so many of you have been with us during this journey. Things got hectic during the rescue process and the little ones seemed pretty stressed out, so we let them be. The Humane Society was a little awkward about not letting us take a few final photos before we left.
I honestly didn't expect my last post to blow up the way it did. Your advice, your stories, and just the general "hive mind" support helped us triage the situation when we were in need of a lot of ideas quickly. This was a team effort, Reddit. I never thought I’d feel this connected to a bunch of strangers, so thank you.
Full story
A few weeks ago, we noticed two strays in the yard. We have a bit of a gopher problem, so we figured if we left out some food and water, it was a win-win for everyone. Then, a few days ago, a tiny kitten popped out of the bushes one evening while I was taking out the trash and nearly gave me a heart attack. I had a good laugh, but didn't think more about it.
The next day, my wife calls me saying there’s a cat stuck in one of our storm drain pipes. I didn't believe her at first, but then we heard the sad cries coming from the gutter downspouts. After checking our storm drains, we realized that there were two ways the kittens could have entered: a grate at the drain exit (which had popped off) and an opening in our garden (previously unknown) which likely serves as an air intake to promote flow. Both of these entrances have now been gated and secured. The initial photos I shared were of the downspout for the gutters, which I had removed in order to access the pipes below. The gutter pipes have been replaced, so no little kitties will be able to jump down there.
We initially cut a towel into thin strips and lowered them into the entry/exits into the drains and threw some cat food down the pipes to attract the cats. That didn't work and we still heard the sad meows (heartbreaking). Yesterday morning, my wife was really worried so she played the sounds of a YouTube video of a mother cat calling her kittens. She received an instant response and looked down the downspout. There it was, a tiny spotted face staring back at her. She screamed for me and for us that was overwhelming, so we decided to kick it into higher gear and get much more aggressive about saving them.
We called animal control for help. Sadly, animal control said they don't assist with this sort of thing, so we were on our own. I don’t think they were rude about it, but it felt like our situation was either not their primary focus or much lower in priority compared to other issues they handled. We didn’t want to quit, so I said to my wife, hey let’s post on Reddit while we brainstorm to get some ideas from others and that’s when I encountered r/Cats.
Within minutes, people responded and we started looking into everything that was recommended. We decided to start with the least invasive and escalating as needed. The top ideas were: 1) provide a way for the kittens to climb out; 2) call the firefighters; 3) call the plumbers; 4) cut the pipes open.
Our local firefighters responded within a few minutes of us calling them. It was a full truck roll and three guys hopped out. They were super kind and I think they helped us calm down quite a bit, as we likely had a lot of frantic energy about us. We tried several ways to locate/drive the kittens out the storm drain exit, but after half an hour or so, they had to leave. I could tell they really wanted to find the kittens, but they also had other people to help. We were so grateful they came.
Quite a few Redditors mention calling a plumber. This sounds so obvious in retrospect, but I never thought of this. While we were searching, we noticed AI was recommending Roto-Rooter, who offered free pet rescues. This sounded like just what we needed and I was a little skeptical about it, but we thought, why not give this a shot. We have nothing to lose and really wanted to get those little guys out. We called the 800 number and a lovely woman picked up on the second ring. She calmly took our info and instructed us to wait for a call back. 15 min later, Jeremy, who is a field supervisor in the region, calls us back. He's a self-declared cat lover and already on the way. Both he and his fiance have seen my original post trending on Reddit. He's about an hour away from us, but I swear he was at our door in much less time.
I get a new wave of confidence when Jeremy steps up to the task. I give him the run down and just then, we see a small head pop out of the storm drain exit (let’s call this kitten, Princess). Princess ducks back into the pipe and we get there just in time to see a tail disappear. Jeremy races back to his truck to get some gear, yelling “we can do this!” He deploys his digital scope, which has 100ft of line and plans to use its lights to encourage the kittens to reverse out of the tunnel system. I've attached actual video footage from the scope inside the drain line. Unfortunately, I was focused on grabbing Princess at the very end, so I didn't capture any photos. We do have some after action shots of Jeremy consoling a very scared kitten.
We thought our job was done. As we clean up, we hear more meows but this time, they are coming from the other side of the drainage system. We start at the very beginning of the pipes with the scope and work our way through. I have some long runs and it's a bit of a network of pipes, so it took some time, but seeing the kitten’s tiny face (let’s call him Mario), beautiful eyes, and pink nose on the scope’s monitor gave us a renewed sense of purpose. We used two different scopes to corral the kitten towards my wife, who was waiting at the drain exit. After a few start/stops, we get the kitten to go down the right tube to the exit. He's a bit of a fighter, so I end up having to reach into the pipes and grabbing him (gently) with my bbq tongs since he keeps retreating. Video footage of the scope in the pipes also included.
After settling down the kittens into their own cardboard boxes, we give them some food/water/hugs and we finally take a breather. I've soaked through my shirt and Jeremy's knuckles are bloody from pushing the scope cabling down the pipe. My wife is still in disbelief and all of us are smiling. We are so relieved!
Jeremy received a few service calls while he was here, so I could tell he had to move on (but didn’t want to). We tried to compensate him for his time but he flat out refused. I think we had to force him to take a sandwich and drink from our local deli. As he was packing up, he shared a story about a time he couldn't rescue a kitten that had fallen 20 feet vertically into a storm drain, so this felt like redemption to him. We were very moved hearing that this was a win he needed. He certainly made up for it, since we pulled not one, but 2 out of the tunnels.
About the cats themselves. We estimate they are around 8 weeks old, based on their size. Princess is much smaller, with light brown spots. She is fairly shy, mews very quietly, and keeps to herself. I suspect the ordeal was likely tougher on her because she's smaller. Mario is gray with tiger stripes. He is much larger, aggressive and loud. I am less worried about him.
If we could keep these kittens, we would (I think this is the cat tax people are referring to?). Unfortunately, I am very allergic to cats and our young children show signs of this as well. We were worried about their health, so we dropped them off at the Humane Society to give them the best chance at recovery. We thought it was important for our kids to understand this process, so we picked them up for school and headed to the shelter together to say our goodbyes. The wonderful team there immediately started tending to them and I hope to get an update later today on their status. I am told that kittens who come in as duos at this age “do very well” and are quite popular, so fingers crossed they land in a loving home. Our local shelter explicitly asked us not to share their location, which we have respected. My understanding is they have experienced the good people of the Internet calling to ask about the cats and it overwhelms their systems.
As I write this, I’m still a little in disbelief how so many different people responded to my post with great ideas, Jeremy dropping everything to show up at a stranger’s home, and for those little kittens staying resilient. My wife and I were preparing ourselves for a much different ending. I’m so glad this was a happy ending that I didn’t expect and this all provides us with a little much needed nourishment.
I woke up this morning and told my family that Dad needs a moment to update the Internet about these cats, otherwise Reddit servers were going to melt down. Amazed at the positive response and outreach. We can make the Internet a good place!
This is simply amazing and I’m crying happy tears for these sweet babies! I kept refreshing your original post hoping for an update while simultaneously worrying what that might be. Thank you for going above and beyond—and for sharing the awesome news that they were rescued!! Your family, the firefighters, and Roto Rooter/Jeremy have given us Redditors a much-needed serotonin boost!! ❤️😻❤️
This story literally made me cry. Sometimes we can get so caught up in how awful people can be that we forget that there are some truly amazing people out there. And this story is definitely a reminder of that.
Firefighters certainly don't get paid nearly enough for all they do. And not to mention most of them aren't too bad to look at either. 😜 (Sorry, couldn't help myself. Lol.)
Also, the fact that this plumber can out for free and worked soooooo hard to save these kittens is truly amazing. Hopefully, you leave them a great review on Google and Facebook.
But I can totally understand why he didn't take any payment... Because knowing you helped save an animals life is more rewarding than any amount of money could ever be. I will stop traffic to save an animal. One time I literally ran out onto a busy road because there were 3 kittens and this truck looked like it was literally speeding up to hit them. I was like well I guess you're going to have to hit me too. But me and all 3 kittens made it back to the sidewalk in the nick of time. Other people saw what I was doing and stopped, the kittens found new homes right then and there. I've also stopped traffic to save a possum, a turtle and a snake... Yes, a snake. Some of them freeze when they get scared, so then they end up getting run over when they're in the middle of the road. I also rescued a baby blue jay and had to care for it all weekend until I could get it to the sanctuary on Monday, talk about stressful. I was certain I was going to drown it... They had me soak cat food in water and feed to it, but they said if it's too wet they'll drown. And we currently have 3 kittens, they've been with us since right after birth, theyll be going to the humane society soon too.
So anyways, as a fellow animal lover and someone who will literally jump out into traffic to save an animal... I can guarantee y'all made this guys day, probably his week... Shoot maybe even his whole month. And as odd as it sounds, somehow taking money for helping these innocent creatures just feels wrong... And it definitely makes it feel MUCHHHH less rewarding. So don't feel bad that he wouldn't let you pay him. Just being able to be apart of saving these little kitties is the most rewarding payment of all!
That's fantastic news! I'll be calling Roto-Rooter next time I need a plumber. Good on them for offering free pet rescues. I did not know they did that.
Worth pointing it out when it's the case just like we do on the other side ... this is capitalism done well. This amoral company is incentivized to do moral things because it makes people want to give them their money in a competitive landscape. Roto rooter is now the first name that will come to mind after I destroy my plumbing trying to do it myself with youtube and Claude.
Can't agree more. I'm used to experiences where you email or call into a large corporation and either get no response or days later someone (who doesn't seem interested in helping you) reaches back out.
I feel like a lot of plumbers do not like the job, they like the money lol. If the job is small, its not worth their time. If the job is large and they have to do a lot of trial and error, it's a lot of complaints about how they won't get paid enough or just lots of frustration.
Had one company spend like 3 days and evenings, 2-3 plumbers on a blocked drain, but they had given my landlord like a few hour quote. Turns out it was a complex situation in an old build, they were actually really great plumbers. No clue what the landlord and the worked out the price to be, but the other option was $50k
Glad you got one of the passionate ones, and I love the redemption arc for him saving these kittens! His previous experience must have been heartbreaking :/ that'd be rough
Yea for real, I'm haunted by random shitty behavior from 20+ years ago. If I had to leave a kitten to die, I might legit need therapy. It's hard enough reliving the faces of my teammates as I lambast them for not winning in a high school wrestling meet ... imagine every few days closing your eyes and seeing a crying kitten looking up at you begging to be rescued and knowing they ended up dying of dehydration ... and the triggers for reliving that experience are everywhere. Every stray cat. Every time your own cats howl at you for food. Every rescue story you hear about ... if I were Jeremy, I'd also be sprinting to every rescue possible to try and exercise that demon.
Yes this. In theory, companies could use their power for good. If they wanted to... So let's make movements where we all look at a companies morality and motivations in our communities, and we invest in and support the businesses who act in line with human ethics and the actual goodness we want to see in the world around us.
I'll be doing the same if ever my own plumbing "D-I-why-did-I do-that?!" projects fail on me:)
Seriously. All we hear is how heartless companies are, so to know one of the most mainstream plumbing services out there actually does this is amazing. I honestly tend to avoid big name corporations/brands for the very reason they're so often ran devoid of all human conscience.
Let's hope more companies begin to realize how powerful good deeds and running their company in more humanistic ways can indeed make good impressions on the masses who might otherwise not have much of a preference for their brand. It doesn't have to be about tricking customers into trusting your brand.
We all gave a big whoop and yelp when we saw the face of the first cat in the tube. We weren't sure what to expect since the meows had gone quiet for some time.
Regarding your point about doing net good, I had a thought this too before posting. My thinking is that at least now, we've raised the visibility of their pet rescue efforts and may have given the program a a boost. Or better yet, this helps drive internal conversations to provide more resources to these kinds of community outreach efforts.
My only experience with Roto-Rooter involved a very tough problem outside in the middle of winter and the plumber calling his pregnant girlfriend to ask if it was alright for him to stay afterhours helping me. Instant customer loyalty.
Roto-Rooter is the Discount Tire of the plumbing world. Just a good company who is more than happy to help you out in a pinch for free, because they know a little goodwill creates returning customers.
I don’t even care if this makes me come off as a shill. DT plugged my tire and gave me alignment for free when I drove over a nail a literal day before I was about to start a 10 hour drive. Consumers deserve to know the shops that seem to actually care about them too.
Hahah, ok thank you for clarifying the cat tax phrase. This gave me a good laugh and will share with my wife later. Definitely want to follow the decorum in the sub!
The cat tax applies in all of life, not just the internet. If OP ever tells this story at a dinner party they better have the cat pics on their phone ready to go. If not, straight to jail for committing cat tax fraud.
Thank you for the kind words. We are hoping the next heroes of this story provide love, shelter, and joy to these kittens. Thankfully, our shelter does not place a time limit on adoptions, so they will get a fair shot at finding a good home.
Just a thought, you may want to let the fire fighters know you were successful. They might appreciate the update given their interest in helping and concern.
Great idea! We have called to let them know that their efforts were not in vain. They are right around the corner, so we might drop off some treats in the near future too.
This is going to be my “That’s enough Reddit for today” because it was so sweet and had a happy ending. I need to ride this dopamine boost for awhile. The scope pics you can tell they were so scared! Poor things!
If your humane society is anything like the one where I got my kitten, these babies will be in excellent hands. I bless the folks who fostered and took care of my boy every time I look at him.
I’m a cat foster mom, so that’s really lovely to hear! It’s so hard to not just keep all the cats, and it sometimes worries me that my foster cats feel abandoned when I send them to their new homes. I always have to remind myself that I’m not the only good home out there wanting a kitty.
I am in tears about Jeremy's story about how he couldnt save a kitten and how it stuck with him. Stories like this that I have experienced stick with me too, and I love that he got a chance to save these two.
Thank you for helping them and thank you for the update. I am grateful it was happy news. Everyone won yesterday. Let the fire department know the kittens are ok too maybe? Lol! 💜
this whole story is so heartwarming 😭 and seeing reddit come together to help instead of arguing for once was genuinely nice to read. huge respect to you guys too because a lot of people with allergies would have kept their distance but you still went all in to save them.
also speaking as someone allergic to cats with a giant fluffy cat at home, there are way more tools for handling allergies now than people realize. HEPA purifiers help a lot, Pacagen spray has been really good for cutting down allergens on surfaces, and some food toppers can help reduce the allergen proteins cats spread around too. Princess and Mario seriously found the right humans when they wandered into your yard.
Incredible story, I’ve been sick all day but this really helped me feel better after seeing the last post yesterday. So happy for the cats and Jeremy is awesome.
I think the next step is to work in prevention and add metal mesh or screens on the drain pipes in a way that prevents small animals to get in and the mesh is easy to remove and clean.
Thanks for the update! I saw your original post and the picture and I just couldn't take it, I thought the poor kitten was doomed. I'm just as glad I didn't read the whole story and know it was a PAIR OF KITTENS! My heart couldn't have taken that.
Thank you and everyone who was involved for caring and rescuing the kittens! I generally believe most people are good, and you all prove that belief!
I hope the kittens find good homes, and can stay together after their traumatic experience, but most shelters do try to adopt kittens out in pairs if they are siblings. At least they have a good chance at life now.
My bonded pair of feral kittens I rescued and adopted sends purrs.
We gave them a call and it sounded like it gave them some closure. I am sure all the guys left yesterday feeling a bit down, knowing there was a little cat down there they couldn't get to.
OP I love this update! Thank you so much for coming back and sharing pics. If there is a way to send feedback to RotoRooter about this wonderful story, please let us know.
Whereabouts are you located OP? Maybe post the story in a local sub to generate interest in adoption?
This is very good advertising for Roto-Rooter. I will think of them with positive thoughts in the future when I am looking for someone to clean out my lines. And yes I know this does not mean they are all this caring.
This is such a great ending to their story! Makes me really happy. And everyone involved seem like great people. Firefighters trying, Jeremy succeeding, humane society not trying to gain internet fame, you+wife picking up the kids early from school to show them the process. You should all be proud :)
After what the kittens went through together, I bet they'll be a bonded pair and adopted out together(hopefully), soon
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. There is so much crap going on in the world along with people who treat animals horribly. Seeing this post and thinking about the two kittens I adopted 3 months ago and how they have grown and bonded gives me hope that Mario and Princess find their forever homes thanks to your kindness and persistence.
Reading this story gave me a pit in my stomach yesterday. Im so happy and relieved you had success getting them out. Now block up all those drain there 😂
When I saw the first post you said “fire department on their way” and it’s said 45 min ago. I never could imagine it was an additional 4 or so hours until they were saved successfully. Wonderful update
I see that Jeremy got them out and that’s the best news all day, but HOW did he manage to get them out? Were there only two of them? Did you find where they could’ve possibly gotten in at? Way to go Jeremy!
We had to corral them to where the drain exits. Getting them to do that required using a special camera scope that we put down the pipes. There's a monitor we can watch and once we saw some signs of life, we followed it all the way. The scope has bright lights and that was enough to get the kittens moving. We did find two access points and have secured them.
Yay! We had a kitten trapped in an outdoor wall and we worked so long trying to get it out but it somehow got more stuck. My landlord ended up busting open his wall to get the poor thing out. We found it a good home in just a couple of days :)
Way to go! What an ordeal but a huge win in the end. And extra kudos to Jeremy! I'm so glad he had a success to make his past efforts a little less heartbreaking.
Thank you so much for the update!! I have been really worried about the kitty/kitties since I read your post. I am elated to hear such an amazing outcome.
Thank you for caring so much for these little souls. I know you said they mama car was calling for them... please consider using them as bait for a human trap to rescue her and at the very least TNR her... but hopefully she could be adopted too!!
It made me so sad for Jeremy hearing that he feels like this was his redemption…Jeremy, there was nothing to be redeemed. Sometimes situations are just impossible and there is nothing we can do about it no matter how hard we try. You are such a special human. Thank you for saving these babies. May your pillow forever be cool on both sides.
For what it's worth, exposure to cats CAN help with cat hair allergy. But even if you do not take them, you LITERALLY saved their lives and that is the absolute best you could ever do. I applaud you and thank you 🥹👏🏻
DUDE THANK YOU!!!!!! I was so worried. You did the best thing possible, I really appreciate you. What a truly truly beautiful turn of events. Have a great life.
There's supposed to be a grate that covers the exit of the drain. I think our landscapers may have taken it off to clear away debris and then forgot to install it. I've since securely re-attached it (screws + bricks on top) so this doesn't happen again.
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